The trek tests you. Emotionally. Mentally. Physically.
You get strong. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally.
As the days go by you start believing in yourself and your ability to achieve this goal. You become your best cheerleader and motivational speaker, mentally singing to yourself “Go Kimi! Go Kimi!”
Walking is meditative. If you have any unresolved emotional sh*t (like we all do), expect it to come to the surface. All of it. Expect that the hours of walking, the solitude, the beauty of the mountains and the silence of your surroundings will help you quiet your thoughts and make peace with people and situations that have long haunted you.
You start praying to the higher powers. Be it God, the Universe, the mountains or Mother Earth. You pray and plead that you can get up the next insane incline.
You lower your standards for comfort, warmth and hygiene.
You no longer worry about silly things such as clean clothes and bathing.
“Did I put my body moisturizer on my face?”. That is a thought that will never cross your mind.
You lose your appetite the higher the you climb. Even delicious treats like homemade apple pie won’t cure the altitude sickness. You just have to ride it out, and keep eating regardless to keep your energy levels up.
You finish the trek with a genuine sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. If I can do this, surely I can do anything, as long as I put one foot in front of the other, and take each day as it comes.
